


A Second Chance

by doctormambo



Category: L.A. Noire
Genre: F/M, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-22 09:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16595525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctormambo/pseuds/doctormambo
Summary: Cole's dead, well, he's believed dead. After the events in the river tunnels, his body isn't recovered and no one thinks that he could have ever survived, but he did. Now he is alone on the streets of Los Angeles without any of his memories. He begins his new life as Johnny, finding his feet and starting a new life, but his detective instincts are always going to remain sharp.





	1. Chapter 1

Cole Phelps once had everything going right for him, but after a series of events, it saw him in the river tunnels of Los Angeles, realising that he was about to die without saying goodbye to his children, without apologising to his wife, without cleaning up his name. He was going to be swept away by the rushing water and it was the end of everything. Even in his last moments, he couldn’t even apologise to Jack Kelso, everything got caught in his throat and all he could force out was a laboured goodbye to him and Elsa. The water took him and he could only let it take his breath away, giving into the ungraceful death for a disgraced detective.

He woke up alone, cold, wet, and confused. He had no idea how he had got here and he had no idea who he was. Cole Phelps had no recollection of any of the things that had flashed before his eyes as he thought he would die. Thoughts of his wife, his career, his daughters, his lover, his friends, his enemies, they had all fallen away and he was a nobody. He had nothing to show who he was, either losing all his possessions in the water or being robbed while he laid at his most vulnerable. He slowly began to move, getting up to the streets, walking aimlessly as people stared at him with confusion, most of them avoiding him. He didn’t stop walking, going in circles for at least a couple of days. He finally gave in, sitting on a bench, head in his hands, trying to force himself to remember something, anything…

The walk home was usually pretty uneventful, but tonight, she couldn’t help but notice the man sat on the bench. He was wet, shivering, and all around dishevelled. There was no way that she could just walk away from him and let him sit there, especially now she could hear him sobbing quietly. Her heart was beginning to break and so she had to help him. Right now, it didn’t matter to her what was going on, he needed help and she was going to be the one who offered it to her. Quickly, she walked over and sat herself beside him on the bench. 

“You okay, mister? Wait, that’s a silly question… what’s wrong?” she asked him softly.  
“I… I don’t know where I am, I don’t even know who I am.”  
“That sure is a tough spot. But if it helps, you’re in Los Angeles…” she smiled awkwardly, noticing no change in his demeanour. “Do you know how you got here?”  
“No… I just woke up on the bank of the river a day or two ago, I’m not sure. I don’t know how I got there or anything,” he said, putting his head in his hands.  
“Oh hey, it’s gonna be okay,” she put her arm around his shoulders. “I know we don’t know each other, but I wanna help you. What can I do?”  
“W-what do you mean?”  
“I want to help. Why don’t I bring you home, you can have a shower, warm up a bit, I can get you some clean clothes, maybe make you something to eat, how does that sound?”  
“You’d really do that?” he sniffed loudly.  
“I can’t just leave you here shivering and all alone, that jus wouldn’t be very decent of me.”  
“You have a very kind heart, miss.”  
“Thank you, now come on,” she slowly slipped her arm into his and smiled softly, getting to her feet and helping him up. “Oh this really won’t do,” she said as she felt how cold he was. She took her jacket off and slowly placed it around him and rubbed his shoulders slightly, warming him up just a little.  
“Isn’t this supposed to be the other way around,” he said, finally cracking a weak smile.  
“Maybe, but it’s the way it is today,” she smiled, starting to lead him off towards her apartment.  
“What’s your name, I’m going to need to know who to thank after all?”  
“Elizabeth, but all my friends just call me Betty.”  
“So Elizabeth-”  
“No, call me Betty, please,” she smiled softly.  
“I’ve known you a few minutes and I’m already your friend.”  
“Why not? I don’t have enough friends anyway…”

The two continued to walk down the road, turning a few times as they continued their chat until they finally arrived at the apartment building. She led him up the stairs and then opened the door to her small apartment. It wasn’t a lot, in fact, it was next to nothing; a tiny kitchen with a dining table and chairs, a living room, and a bedroom with an en suite. She closed the door behind them and gave him the grand tour, pointing at the bedroom door and saying that also led to the shower where he could get cleaned up. She wouldn’t listen to his protests and told him to get in there and she would go next door and speak to her neighbours for some help.

While the stranger went into the bathroom to get cleaned up, she stepped out, knocking on the door next to hers, knowing she could get some help there. Her neighbour opened the door, a young girl like her, the only difference was that she was married.

“Sorry to bother you, and sorry for this crazy request, but would it be alright to borrow some of your husband’s clothes? I know, I know, it sounds insane Doris, but I found this man-”  
“You finally found a man, Betty, you dark horse, where d’you find him?”  
“Enough, it’s not like that. He’s in a really bad state, I think he might be homeless, but he’s lost his memory, he doesn’t know who he is or even where he is. I would just really appreciate the help.”  
“Are you sure he’s not tricking you? I’m not saying you’re a soft touch, but Betty, you can’t just let men into your home because they tell you they don’t remember their name…”  
“I really think he’s telling the truth.”  
“Why don’t you go back over there and I’ll bring some clothes with me, but I’m gonna stay with you for a bit, just to check him out.”  
“I’m gonna be fine, but I also know you’re not gonna take no as an answer, are you?  
She shook her head.  
“Fine, I’ll see you in a few…”

Betty knew that maybe she had reacted a little over-enthusiastically, but part of her just couldn’t leave him there and there was no way she could just dump him on someone else. She wanted to look after him and if he has played on her good nature, then it was him who should be ashamed. She came back into her apartment and started to consider what she could make for them. Guests weren’t exactly a common occurrence for her and she definitely wasn’t used to cooking for two, especially when her main meal was sandwiches. The trick her mother always taught her was meat, vegetables and a stock makes a great stew when you have company. She started to prepare everything, cutting up some carrots and checking for a tin of peas, she placed them both into a pot and started to mix up the stock from powder, then there was that knock on the door.

“It’s open, Doris.”  
“So, where is he?” she asked as she walked in.  
“He’s having a shower at the moment.”  
“Alright, you take him these,” she placed the clothes in Betty’s hands, “and I’ll keep an eye on dinner.”  
“It isn’t on the hob yet, but it’s all on the counter if you wanna start cooking it,” Betty flashed her a toothy grin before heading off.

She cracked open the bedroom door ever so slightly and saw that he was out of the shower with just a towel wrapped around his waist. Part of her knew that she should take a step back and knock on the door, but she could help but study him in this moment as he sat on the edge of the bed. He buried his head in his hands, sighing heavily as he sniffed loudly, choking back tears once more. Knocking on the door, she pushed it open slowly, giving him the chance to recover his composure. Once she was in the room, she smiled sweetly at him, pretending that she hadn’t seen him vulnerable once more.

“I borrowed some clothes from a neighbour, I hope they’re alright,” she smiled, placing them on the bed. “I’ll leave you to get changed,” she turned to leave.  
“Betty… what am I supposed to do?”  
“Oh…” she turned back, sitting next to him on the bed, “I really don’t know, I don’t think this is kind of thing you can find a guidebook for. I don’t know if you will get your memories back, I don’t know how it works. Maybe now is just when you start a new life,” she carefully took his hand.  
“I don’t even know my own name… there was nothing in my pockets, I didn’t even have a jacket.”  
“Well, why don’t we give you a new name? You can reinvent yourself as whoever you want.”  
“I wouldn’t even know where to start for a new name…”  
“How about your favourite actor? Like Gregory, or Cary, Jimmy?”  
“I… I don’t know any of those people,” he was ready to crack.  
“That’s alright, don’t worry about that at all,” she squeezed his hand softly. “Would you like me to give you a name?”  
He looked up at her. “Would you?  
“Of course,” she beamed a smile at him, “now… let me see…”

The hand that wasn’t holding on to his carefully tilted his face towards her so she could see him in the light. Of course she had noticed that he was handsome, she wasn’t a complete idiot, but now she could see him all cleaned up and finally with a small amount of joy in his life, she couldn’t help but fall ever so slightly in love with him. His piercing blue eyes seemed to have see horrors beyond her wildest imagination that he would never be able to remember. He looked stern, but something about him still felt soft and gentle. She let her hand fall from his face and smiled warmly.

“What about Johnny?”  
“I like it,” he nodded with a little beaming smile.  
“Well alright Johnny, wanna help me out in the kitchen?”  
“Maybe I should get dressed first.”  
She blushed ever so slightly. “Yeah, okay, I’ll be in the kitchen once you’re dressed.”

She finally let go of his hand, feeling him resisting her trying to let go, almost as if he wanted to keep her here. Once she had let go of his hand, she gave his shoulder a small squeeze and then left the room, closing the door behind her. Doris had kept herself busy in the kitchen, almost being finished cooking the dinner and even taking some time out to fix some drinks. Betty leant against the kitchen counter as she looked to her, taking the short of whisky and sipping a small amount.

“Well, I’ve given him a name… Johnny, he’s just getting dressed now.”  
“He doesn’t even remember his name?”  
“He doesn’t even know who Cary Grant is…”  
“Tough break, what does he say happened?”  
“No idea, he just woke up on the riverbank with no memories.”  
“You sure know how to pick ‘em…”  
“I couldn’t leave him, he just looked so sad… What if he’s got a family out there who are looking for him? What if he has kids?”  
“We’ll figure it out, don’t worry about it.”

The bedroom door clicked open and Johnny emerged. The clothes were perhaps a touch too big, but at least he finally looked comfortable. He smiled awkwardly towards Betty, a little nervous about the presence of Doris but he bit his tongue, it wasn’t his place to say anything, especially since this wasn’t his home.

“Johnny, this is Doris, Doris lives next door with her husband.”  
“I hear you’re in quite the predicament, Johnny.”  
“I guess you could say that ma’am… and thankfully Betty is taking care of me now.”  
“Oh, she’s Betty already, huh?” Doris crossed her arms across her chest. “So where you planning to stay tonight?”  
“I… er- I hadn’t really thought about it…” he nervously looked to Betty.  
“He’s staying here tonight Doris, of course he is, I’m not just gonna throw him back onto the streets.”  
“Betty, you’ve already helped me out so much, I couldn’t put you out even more.”  
“Don’t be so silly, I’m not letting you go back out there with no where to go or anyone else to help you. You’re stay here, no questions.”  
“The dinner is almost ready, oh, I hope you don’t mind too much Betty, but I invited Carlos over and the four of us could eat together.”  
“Oh… sure, that’s fine,” she lied coolly. Part of her knew that she’d done that to keep an eye on Johnny, to protect Betty just in case, but it just frustrated her because she was old enough to look after herself, she didn’t need baby sitting any more.  
“Good. He’s just getting cleaned up from after work, so he should be over soon.”  
“Well, I guess we better get everything set up for dinner then.”

Betty downed the rest of the whisky and placed it on the side. She was suddenly very thankful that her parents had this idea of her being married quickly after moving to Los Angeles and having dinner parties with all of her other married friends because it meant that she had a set dinnerware for four people. She pulled the bowls out of the cupboard and made her way to the small table. Before she could get to the table, Johnny smiled, taking the bowls from her and starting to set them up on the table and Betty went back to the drawers, grabbing the cutlery and setting it down. Doris reduced the heat to leave the stew to simmer and took the drinks to the table, pouring Betty another as well. There was a knock on the door and Doris announced that it was unlocked and in walked Carlos. 

The door clicked behind Carlos and he smiled warily in the direction of Johnny, shooting a quick look to Betty and then to Doris, trying to gauge whether or not this was a safe situation. He stepped forward and offered his hand to Johnny, who took it and shook it firmly. At least he wasn’t a weird limp wrested shaker. 

“Name’s Carlos, Doris’ husband.”  
“Nice to meet you, I’m Johnny,” he smiled.  
The two men sat at the table while Doris started to spoon the stew into the bowls on the table and Betty cut up the loaf of bread, putting the slices on a plate for everyone to share throughout the meal. Everything was in place and the women sat at the table.  
“So, what do you do Johnny?”  
“Oh… well, I’m assuming Doris didn’t tell you my situation then…”  
“I found Johnny today, downtown near where I work, he doesn’t have any memories of who he was.”  
“Well, that’s quite the problem. No ID either?”  
“No, I didn’t have a jacket, and nothing in my pants pockets.”  
“Maybe God’s giving you a second chance at something, Johnny.”  
“Perhaps…” Johnny started to think.  
“Now, now, sweetie,” Doris cooed at her husband, “maybe it’s just something bad happening to a good man,” she said, lighting a cigarette.  
“Either way, I don’t think it should matter all that much, you’re here now, in this moment, that’s what we’re going to deal with,” Betty said softly, placing her hand on top of his.  
“You’re right, there’s no point dwelling on a past I can’t remember.”  
“Exactly,” she gave his hand a little squeeze, “we’ll get you on the right path.”  
“You gotta make a living in this town if you’re gonna get by,” Carlos chimed in.  
“How would he even do that without an identity?” Doris asked.  
“I can’t make any promises, but I can speak to my boss, he hires illegals on the down low, so I can’t see why he wouldn’t mind all that much,” Carlos shrugged.  
“Would you talk to him? That would be a real help,” Betty smiled brightly.  
“It’s very decent of you to offer,” Johnny smiled slightly.  
“Like I said, I can’t promise anything, but I’ll talk to him,” he offered with a wave of the hand.  
“Thank you,” Betty said honestly.  
“Well, once he’s getting money and on his feet, he can get on with his life elsewhere.”  
“That’s a long way off,” Betty side-eyed Carlos before turning to Johnny with a soft smile, “don’t worry, I won’t throw you out just because you got a little money.”  
“Of course, once I have enough to get out of your hair,” Johnny said, half serious, half sad.  
“No, once you’re on your feet, just because you have cash doesn’t mean you’ll be okay, I’m not having you out there still struggling with your memories,” she said firmly.  
“Just hope the neighbours don’t talk,” Carlos snarked.  
“Carlos!” Doris tapped him on the leg.  
“If they want to gossip, let them. I’m not going to let their words stop me from helping someone in need.”  
“And rightly so,” Doris backed her up.  
“So you’re not worried that they’ll talk about the single girl who suddenly has a man living with her, a man no one has ever seen before, and he lives here, sleeping here, while there’s no sign of a ring?”  
“It’ll be none of their concern, they can keep their noses out.”  
“They won’t though, will they? You know what the people around here are like.”  
“Carlos, please, she’s trying to do a good thing.”  
“How much do we really know about this bum? What if this good thing turns around and bites her in the ass?”  
“I’m an adult, if it does, I’ll take responsibility for that. But I trust Johnny.”  
“You trust a man who’s real name you don’t even know?”  
“Yes,” she said firmly, staring him down.  
“Doris has always said you’re soft, but I didn’t realise it was like this. A pretty white boy comes along and all common sense goes out the window.”  
“Sweetheart, your worry about Betty is sweet, but I really think trying to get her to change her mind about this is a losing battle.”  
“I’m not just looking out for her, I’m looking out for all of us. What if he’s a con-man, or even if he’s a serial killer or something?”  
“Well, we don’t know, but what if he is a good man who is just in a bad spot right now?”  
“Fine, but the first whiff of something off, and I will go to the cops.”  
“That’s understandable,” Johnny offered, trying to stop this argument.  
“So, you really don’t remember anything?”  
“No, I don’t even know what my family look like,” he said sadly, looking down into his lap.  
“We’re gonna figure this out, I promise,” Betty tried to comfort him with an arm around his shoulders.  
“I’m sure there’s gonna be someone out there looking for you,” Doris offered.  
“Exactly, it’ll all be fine.”  
“What if the memories never come back? They’ll remember who I was and I wouldn’t be able to offer whatever I used to…”  
“C’mon, let’s not dwell on maybes and what-ifs, let’s deal with what we have now, yeah?” Betty smiled comfortingly.  
“Okay, yeah,” Johnny looked to her, smiling weakly.

A slightly awkward silence fell over the group as they continued to try and finish their meal, not quite sure if they should keep speaking or what they would even say. Carlos kept a slightly watchful eye on Johnny, measuring all of his movements from the way he barely seemed to look up, to the genuine warm smile that cracked his lips when Betty comforted him. Maybe this guy was being honest, but part of him couldn’t shake this feeling that something was wrong, then again, that could have simply been his cynical look on most of the world. It didn’t help that they lived in the town of the movies and actors who lied for a living walked around, he could have just been an out of work actor looking for an easy meal ticket.

Everyone had finally finished their meal and that was usually a cue for something social to happen. Betty cheerily got up and started to pick up the empty dishes when Doris began to help and shooed the men to the living room. Carlos grabbed one of the glasses that still had alcohol in it, Johnny’s glass, and Johnny left the room empty handed. 

“I’m sorry about Carlos, you know how he can get sometimes,” Doris said in a hushed tone.  
“It’s okay, honestly,” Betty replied at the same volume, keeping their conversation from the boys.  
“Do you want us to get out of here?” she asked, picking up the cutlery.  
“I think it might be best, it’s been a weird day, I think Johnny could really do with a good night’s rest, you know?” she said as she placed the bowls in the sink.  
“Yeah, and hopefully he’ll start feeling a bit better, I noticed the occasional shakes coming back during dinner.”  
“I can’t even imagine what he went through for him to forget everything.”  
“It must have been pretty bad… but at least now he’s got you,” Doris nudged her playfully.  
“I meant what I said, I can’t just turf him out,” she said as she poured the undrunk whiskey back into the bottle.  
“I know, but you also know that men have emotions and things like that, Carlos doesn’t believe in weakness. In his eyes, Johnny would go and just fix this by being a man.”  
Betty stifled a laugh. “Sure, because that would work…” she gave the table a quick wipe down with a damp cloth. “Can you make sure he does ask his boss about that job though? I think it could really help Johnny not feel so useless, you know?”  
“Of course, I’ll remind him before he goes to work.”  
“Thanks Doris,” she gave her friend a tight hug.  
“Right, we’ll get outta your hair now,” she announced a little louder so Carlos could hear her.  
“Is that your hint for me to get up?” he asked her playfully.  
“Yes, it is,” she said with a playful eye roll.  
“Thanks for the food and the drink, and for this one of a kind story,” Carlos couldn’t resist but snort a little.  
“And thank you for the clothes,” Betty smiled.  
“Once I get a little income, I will repay you, I promise,” Johnny said, outstretched hand.  
“Don’t sweat it,” Carlos took Johnny’s hand and shook it, “consider it a gift for my new neighbour.”  
“Thank you so much,” Johnny said, genuine thankfulness in his voice.  
“Right,” Carlos let go of his hand, “we’re gonna get off then.”  
“And don’t forget, if you need anything, at any time, within reason, we’re just next door, okay?” Doris said as she held Betty’s hand.  
“How can I forget about you two?” Betty winked.  
“Good night, you two,” Doris said with a wave.

The door clicked behind the married couple and Betty and Johnny were left alone in the apartment. She smiled a little awkwardly at him before finally sitting on the sofa, and he then sat down next to her. She couldn’t stop herself from watching him as he sat down, noticing the tan line on his wedding finger. Without warning, her heart sunk in her chest and she couldn’t even explain why that was. She had known him barely a day and she was already upset that he was unobtainable, or perhaps it was the fact that now she knew there were people out there looking for him and for now, there was no way to get him back.

“I really am sorry for what Carlos said to you.”  
“It’s fine, you can’t control what someone else says, you don’t have to apologise.”  
“I didn’t even want him to come over because I knew he would do something like this, he always thinks people are criminals without even knowing them.”  
“I guess it is all a little bit unbelievable, so I can understand where he was coming from.”  
“I know, but still, what happened to just being polite until you know that person is doing something heinous.”  
“He obviously doesn’t have time for politeness,” he chuckled softly.  
“But he will be asking about that job, don’t worry, and then you can start whenever you feel comfortable to do so, don’t rush it, okay?”  
“You’re so kind,” he said, looking at her dead in the eye, thinking for a moment, “I promise, I will try and get out of here as soon as possible, I don’t want to cause any troubles for you.”  
“Are you referring to what Carlos said? Because if you are, I couldn’t give a damn, you’re a person in need of help and I’m going to help you. You don’t have to rush out of here before you’re ready, it’d be like a man with a broken leg walking before it’s healed, you hear me?”  
“You really have a way with words as well,” he smiled.  
“I moved to L.A. to try and become a screenwriter, I just love writing, and I love movies, but no way in hell did I want to be an actress. But writing work for women, it barely exists, unless it’s typing it out the script,” she said a little sadly.  
“I bet you’d make an amazing film writer,” he carefully took her hand.  
“I like to think so,” she placed her other hand on top of his, “but breaking the business, that’s gonna be the hardest part. I gotta really knock their socks off to get their attention.”  
“Well, if anyone can do it, I bet it’d be you,” he smiled.  
“We’ll just have to see what the future brings us. For now, let’s deal with at least this week,” she said with a little chortle.  
“And what does this week bring next?”  
“Well, I have three more days of work, and I’ll have to go out for some more food,” she smiled a little awkwardly.  
“Where do you work?”  
“It’s a small office, just as a secretary, it’s nothing exciting. But it’s where I met Doris, so I can’t complain too much.”  
“Oh, so she didn’t live here when you moved in?”  
“No, there used to be some awful creep next door. But Doris and Carlos met about two years ago, the place he works isn’t far from out office, so the two of them would make eyes at each other and then they started dating, then when they got married, they decided to move out and the creep had left about a month before after enough people complained to get him evicted.”  
“At least it means you have a friend close by,” he offered with a smile.  
“Yeah, it’s alright, but now I am the only unmarried girl in the office, so pressure’s on…” she seemed to drift off into a little cloud of sadness.  
“A girl doesn’t need to be married to be someone, you’re probably better off without a man anyway,” he shot her a goofy grin.  
“Well, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to bring you home if I had a man around as well,” she returned his grin.  
“See it’s all working itself out,” he smiled, followed shortly by a yawn.  
“Oh gosh, I can’t believe I’ve been sat here talking at you, forgetting everything you’ve been through, you must be exhausted. Let me grab some blankets and then you can have the bed and I’ll take the sofa.”  
“No, I can’t let you not sleep in your own bed,” he protested.  
“It’s fine, you’ve been through a lot, you deserve a decent night’s sleep.”  
“But you have work, you need to be well rested to be able to work well.”  
“Honestly, it’ll be fine, I can just sleep out here, and then you’ll have a comfy bed to yourself.”  
“No, please…” he looked away from her before slowly looking back up her. “I really just don’t want to be alone. You can have the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor, I really don’t mind,” he almost pleaded with her.  
“Oh Johnny,” she said softly, squeezing his hand tightly, “of course, I can get you some pillows to lay on, and lots of blankets, and it’ll all be alright,” she brought him in for a hug.

He couldn’t help himself as he leant into the hug, burying his head into her shoulder and he tried to stop himself from crying. The thought of being alone once more just played so heavily on his mind, this idea that he would wake up and everything would be gone again, and he couldn’t go through that. It sounded so stupid and he wished that he could get over this new fear, but he didn’t seem to be able to deal with it. If he slept in the same room as her, maybe it would mean that the universe couldn’t take her away like it had with the rest of his life. 

She brought him to his feet and the two of them made their way into the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched as she started to grab things from the cupboard that he would be able to sleep with for the night. While she started to sort the things on the floor, he couldn’t help but watch and just feel utterly useless, wishing there was something he could do, not just in this moment, but just in general for her. Once the bedding was set out, she told him she was heading to the bathroom to get changed into her pyjamas and handed him a big dressing gown to wear so he could change out of the clothes. She disappeared for a few moments, moments that felt like forever, like she wouldn’t come back, but she did and he could relax once more. 

He watched as she settled into bed and then she peered over the side, smiling down at him and then leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. Every part of him told him that he was intruding and he shouldn’t make any more requests, that he should just lay down and sleep, but he couldn’t help himself. With trembling voice, he asked if she wouldn’t mind him holding her hand, just while he tried to fall asleep. It was childish, but he just wanted some kind of comfort, a level of comforting from another human being that he had no memory of and hadn’t been shown the few days he had been on the streets as he shivered and cried. She had been the only one to offer a hand and she did it once more, letting him feel the warmth so he could finally get some rest.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning broke and Johnny’s eyes fluttered open, noticing that he no longer had Betty’s hand in his, his heart sinking. He sat up quickly and looked around him, looking to see if there she was anywhere close by. She wasn’t. He quickly got to his feet and knocked on the bathroom door. No answer. He opened the bedroom door and his heart finally slowed, seeing her at the fridge, pulling out a carton of eggs. She turned to face him with a little smile.

“I didn’t wanna wake you up, did you sleep alright?”  
“A little restless at times, but I think I got some decent rest in.”  
“Good,” she smiled, turning back to the task of making breakfast. “So how do you like your eggs?”  
There was an awkward moment before Johnny looked at her. “…I don’t know.”  
“Oh gosh,” she put her hand to her forehead, feeling like the world’s biggest idiot. “I’m sorry… I… how about I make scrambled?”  
“Sure,” he smiled, making his way to her. “Thank you so much for last night.”  
“Stop thanking me, I told you, I’m gonna help you out, that’s just who I am.”  
“I still want to say thank you, no one else out there wanted to help me.”  
“I don’t think I could live with myself if I kept walking.”  
“You really are one of a kind,” he said with a small smile.  
“I’ll take your word for that,” she tried to suppress a blush but was very unsuccessful.

Johnny couldn’t help but smile like a cat who’d got the cream, feeling almost like one of the luckiest people in the world to have found a girl like this. She ushered him to the small table in the kitchen as she started to prepare the breakfast for the two of them. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and some toast, nothing too fancy, but just enough to keep her going through the day. While she left everything to cook for a moment, she poured out a couple of glasses of orange juice with a small smile to him. She put the orange juice back into the fridge and then started to dish the food up. Placing the plates on the table, she sat at the table with him, smiling softly as she studied him for just a moment. They started to tuck into the first meal of the day.

“So, you’ll be going to work after this?”  
“Yeah, and you get the whole apartment to yourself,” she said with a little grin.  
“I guess I could get out and about, see what’s around here.”  
“Why don’t you rest a little more? You’ve had a lot going on, you deserve to let your body recover from all of this.”  
“Perhaps, but I just don’t know if I could sit alone all day.”  
“I think you should, but I can leave you the number for my office, and if you start to get bored, you can come over to the office,” she grinned.  
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to disrupt your day.”  
“Well, the offer still stands, and if you just go for a walk, you can let me know, and you can use a payphone to let me know where you are and I can meet with you after work.”  
“I can do that,” he smiled softly at her.  
“Right, I need to get ready for work then,” she sounded a little reluctant to want to go.

She had finished her breakfast and so she went off to her bedroom and started to get ready for work. It was all a lot to be dealing with on the first day for him to be on his own and she wished she could just call in sick, but she knew that she was in danger of losing her job considering how many times she had avoided work lately. As much as she didn’t enjoy her job, she needed it, without it, she couldn’t pay rent. After getting dressed, she stepped back into the living room and smiled at Johnny getting comfortable on the sofa; she just loved seeing him feel at home. She grabbed her bag from the sofa and leant down, giving him a hug goodbye and a quick kiss on the forehead. Before she forgot, she produced one of the office’s business cards, handing it to him so he could phone her later. Then, she grabbed her jacket and left the apartment, leaving Johnny to himself.

It was a nice apartment to live in, but he felt this could get very lonely, very quickly. He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to stomach sitting her alone for the day, but he was going to try it. He could try and keep himself busy for the moment, going back into the bedroom and starting to get undressed. He watched himself in the mirror, trying to determine if there was anything he could see about himself, looking for his own clues. Scars and scrapes all over his body suggested to him that whatever accident he was in hadn’t been the first time he’d been involved in something dangerous. Perhaps he had been involved in something shady, or perhaps he was a good guy with a gun. Either way, maybe this change of scenery was a good move, a lower pace to help keep him alive.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he began to look at his hands, wondering if these hands had done something awful. He clenched his fists and finally noticed the tan line on his ring finger. A rush of thoughts ran through his head; had he lost the ring, had it taken from him, or was he divorced? Did his wife love and miss him and want him back? Did he have children that would be looking for him? Was him being missing a better thing for these people from his life? Maybe that was it, Carlos had been right and this was all a second chance at doing things, and he had to try and not mess it up this time. He was going to make it all right this time and he wasn’t going to think about the things he couldn’t remember any more.

Quickly, he began to get dressed, changing into the borrowed clothes and hanging up the dressing gown he’d been leant on the back of the bedroom door. Now he started to think of what he could do next. Of course, he could sit around, staring at the walls and letting his thoughts consume him, or he could get out and get some fresh air. But then again, being outside may not have been as easy as that. He knew that there were a lot of people who just didn’t care about others, he’d witnessed that all the time he’d spent cold and desperate with no one to reach out to. What if it was all too much for him to go out there alone? 

He settled in the living room, sitting on the sofa with both feet on the floor. Now he just needed to figure out what to do to actually occupy his time until Betty was due home. What did people even do to occupy their time when they were alone? He could feel his mind slowly turning in on itself as he couldn’t pick an activity, a million thoughts scrambling together and making everything so much harder to understand. Every time he thought he could try and solve the problems behind one thought, another would come along and make him feel frustrated and confused. Unable to sort out his problem and then being faced with another started to make his head spin and his stomach feel sick. 

There was a scuffling noise coming from next door the pulled him out of all of the thoughts. They didn’t just quieten, they were silenced completely and it only took a second for him to move to action. He knocked on the door, realising that everything he had done from the moment he heard the noise was completely by his instincts.

“Is anyone in there?”  
“Just a minute,” Doris called in a sing-song voice.  
Johnny suddenly felt extremely stupid.  
Doris opened the door. “Everything okay?”  
“Sorry, I just… I heard a noise, I didn’t think anyone was in, so I thought maybe someone had broken in…”  
“That’s alright, at least I know you’re looking out for us,” she chuckled. “You wanna come in? I just made some coffee if you want a cup.”  
“I should probably get back, I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Betty’s apartment unlocked without someone in there.”  
“Well, we’ll go over there then, I’m sure Betty wouldn’t mind, I’ll be over in a minute,” she smiled brightly, slipping back into the apartment.

Johnny walked back to Betty’s apartment, feeling very much like an idiot in all of this. He sat himself down on the sofa, and looked up quickly when he heard Doris coming in, a coffee pot in hand. He forced a smile as she skipped over to the kitchen and grabbed some mugs. She returned to sofa and settled down, putting everything on the table and pouring each of them a cup.

“So, Betty’s left you all alone today?”  
“She doesn’t have much choice, she’s got to go to work, especially with all the days off she’s had.”  
“Oh, she told you about that. Yeah, the boss isn’t too happy with her, but she gets into this zone when she works, it’s crazy.”  
“Has she been working on something in particular?”  
“Did she tell you about her dreams?”  
“Yeah, she wants to be a movie writer.”  
“That’s what she’s working on, that one perfect screenplay to break into the business… Everyone thinks she’s mad for it, but I… I kind of admire her for it. But she does need to get better at balancing it with work,” she chuckled.  
“She is a one of a kind dame…”  
“You can say that again,” she looked at him with a smile. “I’m guessing you didn’t have many plan for the day.”  
“I thought maybe about going for a walk, but I thought better of it, I didn’t want to get lost.”  
“Well, I’m going for lunch with Carlos, why don’t I walk you over to the office and we can get lunch, the four of us.”  
“Do you think Betty would be okay with that? I just… don’t want the people she works with to start talking.”  
“We can be discrete about it, don’t you worry.”  
“It sure beats sitting around on my own,” he smiled.  
“Why do you think I do it? I enjoy my days off, but they sure do get boring sometimes.”  
“I know Betty wants me to stay home and rest, but I would happily take a job tomorrow.”  
“It’s gotta be pretty scary with all the emptiness rattling around up there…”  
“That’s why I need something, I’ve got to start making new memories to put something in my mind.”  
“You’ll be making plenty of memories around here, don’t you worry,” she smiled reassuringly.

A short silence fell between them. It didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable, it was just a moment as Johnny thought to himself. He had already learnt that mentioning moving out started a new conversation on how he didn’t have to rush it. Obviously he appreciated it, but part of him was worried about outstaying his welcome and cause tensions. 

“I guess I’ll get to make some very interesting ones at work as well,” he said with a little chuckle.  
“Working with Carlos will definitely keep you entertained, don’t you worry about that,” she beamed a grin. “Speaking of,” she looked at her wrist watch, “let’s head out, we should be able to catch her just in time,” she started to get up.

The two of them finished up their coffees and made their way out of the apartment block. There was no way of denying it, but there was a certain kind of excitement bubbling up in his stomach. He knew that this feeling was because he was going to be seeing Betty, but he couldn’t quite figure out why he felt this way. Was it as simple as her being someone he enjoyed being around, or was there something more starting to brew underneath all of this? Considering how many emotions he felt when he was on his own, he started to think that maybe that’s just how he felt about everything at the moment. He was going to use restraint and control when he was around her, just to make sure that he didn’t make a fool of himself or to make her feel uncomfortable.

Doris greeted Carlos at the entrance to his place of work and explained the plan for lunch. She ushered the boys off to the usual diner they would get lunch off and then went to the office to meet with Betty so she could bring her along. The main reason she wanted to do it this way was mainly to save Johnny from the rest of the women in the office. They were lovely people to work with, but sometimes, they became like a pack of lionesses looking at a wounded gazelle. Johnny was a very good looking man and she knew the single ones would be on the prowl and the married ones would start to matchmaking, both things everyone could do without. Yet she still couldn’t resist a little giddy smile as she saw Betty coming towards her.

“What did I do to deserve the privilege of seeing you on your day off?” Betty asked playfully.  
“Well, you did make us dinner yesterday, so I thought I’d treat you to lunch today.”  
“You’re up to something, I just don’t know what yet,” she looked at her suspiciously, but still smiled.

The two of them left the office arm in arm like they usually did, smiling and chatting away as they made their way over the diner. Betty couldn’t hide the way her eyes lit up when she saw Johnny sitting in one of the booths with Carlos. She couldn’t deny that there was perhaps some kind of physical attraction to him, but there was also this bursting pride and respect for him. He’d been dealt such an awful hand in his life right now and yet he was still able to smile in a world he didn’t even know. She let Doris into the booth first and followed her in so they could sit opposite the men.

“This is a nice surprise,” Betty smiled.  
“Well, Doris suggested it, and it definitely beats sitting around alone,” he smiled back.  
“At least I can offer you that job if you want it now,” Carlos said.  
“Really? Thank you.”  
“Don’t thank me, thank the last three guys who’ve quit. We’re pretty short handed, so the boss is thankful for any quick starters he can get.”  
“I’m happy to start tomorrow.”  
“Are you sure?” Betty asked, a little concerned.  
“Definitely, I would be thankful for the distraction, I need to start filling this empty head,” he joked awkwardly.  
“I don’t know how much packing trucks is gonna fill you up, but I guess it’s a start,” Carlos jibed.  
“So, what can I get you folks?” the waitress asked brightly.  
“Ah, the usual please,” Doris grinned.  
“And for the new gentleman?”  
“Oh…” Johnny paused for a moment. He couldn’t even search his brain for memories to decide what he liked in general. He shot Betty a small panicked look.   
“How about a club sandwich, it’s a classic lunch meal,” Betty offered sweetly.  
“Yeah, I’ll have that,” he smiled awkwardly. The waitress left them to their conversation. “I guess I’ll find out if I like it.”  
“At least it’ll be a new memory,” Betty tried to lighten the mood. “You’re gonna be able to eat your favourite meal for the first time ever one day, that’s gonna be a special moment,” she smiled.  
“I would give anything to eat a real juicy steak for the first time again,” Carlos reminisced.  
“I guess there are some upsides to this memory loss thing,” Johnny flashed a little cheeky grin.  
“And now we know you’re somewhat of an optimist,” Doris smiled.  
“There’s no point in dwelling on all of this, I just need to get on with it.”  
“And don’t forget, you’re not doing it alone,” Betty smiled at him.

The four of them enjoyed their lunch together, continuing their conversation with small talk to try and make Johnny feel a little more comfortable to not pressure him into opinions and trying to think of memories. While they chatted away, both Betty and Doris could feel the eyes of the other girls from the office, all of them waiting for something to happen that they could gossip about it. She knew that she couldn’t explain to them completely what was happening since there was a chance this whole thing sounded a little too farfetched, but it also wasn’t her place to say. It was up to Johnny whether he wanted to share his struggle or keep it to himself. For now, she would simply try to avoid the subject and probably enlist Doris to help her divert attentions from him when they were in the office together. 

The food arrived and while they didn’t want to be intrusive, they couldn’t help but take a moment to watch Johnny take his first bite of his club sandwich. It wasn’t the magical moment of a man falling in love with food for the first moment, but it was still nice for him to now know that he enjoyed this enough to keep on eating. The conversation continued through bites of food and sips of soda, all of them feeling quite comfortable with each other. Johnny could feel that they were tailoring things a little bit and part of him felt awkward that this was all because of him. He had caused a displacement in their life and couldn’t help the guilt.

“You want us to meet you after work?” Doris asked Betty.  
“I don’t mind, but I do have to try and get to the market.”  
“Why don’t I take Johnny and we get what you need?”  
“You sure?”  
“Yeah, it’s not like we’ve got much else to do today.”  
“Alright, I just need some of the basics.”  
“We can take care of that, right Johnny?”  
“Yeah, of course,” he smiled.  
“I think I could get used to this,” Betty joked.

The empty plates were cleared away by the waitress and they spent a moment gathering all their things together and made their way out. Carlos took the bill to the counter and paid for the group before rejoining them outside. Betty embraced Doris tightly as she whispered in her ear.

“Can you take him for some clothes shopping as well?” she carefully slipped some money into her friend’s pocket.  
“Of course,” she replied quietly before stepping back from the hug. “Now get back to work, you slacker,” she joked.  
“Do I have to?” she whined playfully.  
“Yeah, otherwise you’ll get fired and you won’t be able to afford the rent.”  
“Fine. I guess it’s a good enough reason,” she mocked. “Keep her out of trouble, will you, Johnny?”  
“I’ll try my hardest,” he smiled.

Without a thought, she took him into a tight hug as well, forgetting that most of the girls from the office where watching. She bid him a goodbye, finally letting go of him and making her way back to the office. Already, the buzz about her and Johnny was starting to come from the office girls, something she was just going to have to deal with once she was back at her desk, but she was sure that she could do it.

Once work was over, she began her walk home, only for Carlos to pull up next to her and offer her a ride. Usually she would decline, but today she felt a little more inclined, agreeing and getting in so she could see how Johnny had faired in his shopping trip with Doris. It was a short journey back to the apartment building and a pretty quiet one as well since she never really knew what to say around Carlos. He was a good man, but he was very stern and quiet, someone who kept to himself with some very old fashioned views. Once they were back, they walked up to her apartment and she opened the door to see Johnny and Doris sat on the sofa having a coffee together.

Before she could say anything, Johnny had bounded up to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you so much,” he said quietly.  
“Stop saying thank you, I’m just showing you some kindness.”  
“Kindness that you don’t have to show, but you have,” he slowly pulled back from her. “And now I’ve got some really nice clothes.”  
“I hope you realise not everyone out there is gonna be this kind,” Carlos piped up.  
“That makes it all the more important for me to show it to him them,” Betty quipped.  
“Plus, you have a nicely stocked kitchen now,” Doris tried to lighten the mood.  
“Thanks, doll,” she smiled.   
“Anytime, sweetcheeks,” she winked. “Now, we’ll leave you two to it. Did you want a ride to work tomorrow?”  
“We’ll be alright, the morning walk helps keep me awake for the day,” she chuckled.  
“Alright, I’ll see you in the office.”

Doris left, making sure to take Carlos’s arm as they left together. The two left in the apartment sat down, enjoying a moment of silence as they simply smiled at each other. He was more than thankful for the fact that Doris hadn’t divulged the entire story while they had been in the clothing store. Maybe he had over reacted, but the moment they walked into the store, he had felt over whelmed and then when she revealed the reasoning, he couldn’t stop the emotions bubbling over. The poor woman in the store had no idea what to make of the scene as she watched him start sobbing. Doris had just explained that he was in a tough spot but said no more, comforting him and waiting for him to regain some composure so they could start picking out what he wanted.

“So, you’re gonna look dapper for your first day of work?”  
“Hopefully, I want to make a good impression.”  
“I think you’re definitely going to be able to do that,” she smiled wistfully.  
“I know you’re going to tell me to stop, but I’m still going to say thank you again. You’re faith in me is going to help me through it.”  
“In that case, I’m going to believe in you even more,” she grinned brightly.

He wasn’t entirely sure what he had done to deserve meeting such a kind person and it was starting to conflict with his idea that he had been a terrible person being given a second chance. Perhaps it was more complicated than that; maybe he was a good man in a bad situation and so the second chance was deserved. The more he got to know her kindness, the less he cared about finding out who he once was. And it continued as she began to prepare dinner for both of them and then didn’t question the fact that he wanted to stay in her room on the floor once more. It was like she intuitively knew the reason and so she didn’t press it and agreed to not let him sleep alone, even if it was to just be in the same room.


End file.
